Ridley Scott attempted to maintain the renaissance of the grand historical epic genre, following the success of his Oscar-winning film Gladiator. However, the experience has taught us that replicating such success is no easy feat. Kingdom of Heaven, Scott’s 2005 film,. despite its technical prowess, falls short of matching the impact of its predecessor.
The film's plot follows the events in the Holy Land in the years leading up to the Third Crusade. It begins in 1184 France, where the protagonist, Balian (played by Orlando Bloom), a young blacksmith, is visited by his father, Baron Godfrey of Ibelin (played by Liam Neeson), who invites him to join the Kingdom of Jerusalem, a Crusader state. Balian accepts, seeking atonement for his sins, and upon his father's death, inherits his title and a small desert estate. Balian proves to be a skilled warrior and a man of noble character, gaining the attention of the leper King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem (played by Edward Norton) and his sister Sybilla (played by Eva Green), who becomes his lover. However, the kingdom is threatened by Sybilla's ambitious husband, Guy de Lusignan (played by Marton Csokas), and the fanatical knights like Raynald de Chatillon (played by Brendan Gleeson), whose raids begin to shatter the fragile peace with the recently united Muslim forces under the rule of the powerful and capable Saladin (played by Ghassan Massoud).
Ridley Scott's technical prowess is on full display, with a large budget, hundreds of extras, impressive CGI, and meticulous attention to set and props, effectively recreating the world of over eight centuries ago. The battle scenes, particularly the Siege of Jerusalem towards the end, are among the best reconstructions of medieval combat since Braveheart, if not even better. However, Scott struggles with depicting individual action sequences, especially in the beginning, where the fight between Balian and his pursuers appears a bit too "artsy".
Like Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven may be praised for many technical achievements, but it falls short in terms of historical accuracy. Scriptwriter William Monahan has enhanced, embellished, and romanticized many of the real-life characters and events, including the protagonist, who was in reality a prominent noble rather than a commoner achieving an "American Dream" in the Crusader states. The romantic subplot involving Balian and Sybilla only complicates matters, with the character of Sybilla being underdeveloped and Eva Green serving more as an orientalist eye candy than an important historical figure.
The cast is solid, but not particularly remarkable, with Orlando Bloom's performance failing to match the memorable portrayal of Russell Crowe in Gladiator. However, Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud as Saladin dominates much of the supporting cast with his regal presence, and Edward Norton is particularly impressive in his role, despite never showing his face.
Another area where Kingdom of Heaven falls short compared to Gladiator is the soundtrack. Harry Gregson-Williams' score is simply forgettable and often makes Scott's films look cheap or unfinished.
The release of Kingdom of Heaven coincided with events that, at least in the eyes of many, reflected the plot of the film, namely the attempt of the West to conquer the Muslim Middle East under the banner of spreading democracy, led by George W. Bush. These parallels both benefited and hampered the film, with some critics accusing Scott of advocating Western imperialism through the character of Balian, while others, especially Neocons, accused him of a revisionist approach, portraying the Crusaders as foreign invaders and bloodthirsty barbarians, unlike Muslims being led by the wise, enlightened, and tolerant Saladin.
Kingdom of Heaven had some success at the box office, although not as much in the United States, where the audience found the historical parallels with the ongoing carnage in Iraq too close to comfort. Critics were much less enthusiastic than in the case of Gladiator.
The general impression of the film was much improved with the Director's Cut, which added around 40 minutes of running time, plugging plot holes and providing proper historical explanations.
Despite its faults, Kingdom of Heaven represents a good historical epic that deserves recommendation to all fans of the genre.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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